Can you explain naughty step and time out please?

[DeathMetalMum]

How do you implement them? How do you get dc to stay on the naughty step (or corner etc). And time outs how do they work? Dd is 2.3 and at times I am struggling with her understanding she just can't do something.

I think she's too little for a naughty step. And I hate the words naughty step.

What's she doing that's naughty?

Not naughty necesarily things like poking her 10 week old sister in the eye, climbing things,repeatedly doing things I have asked her not to. In particular staning on the bottom part of the fireplace (switched off electric fire which I am unable to fit a guard to) In the past I have removed her from the situation and distracted her with something else but this is no longer working, I can move her 10 times saying lets do 'x' and she still goes back to do what I have told/asked her not to do.

*standing

I do it with an almost 3 year old.

First time - "we do not poke babies. if you poke the baby again, you will have to sit on the step by yourself."

Second time - "i told you that if you poke the baby again, you will have to sit on the step. Go and sit there" (if she doesn't go, take her gently by the hand, lead her to the step and sit her down). "sit there until I come to get you"

She will sit there for 2 minutes. If she gets up, I sit her back down, tell her again why she has to sit there and start the clock again. Had to repeat this a lot in the first couple of days.

Two minutes is up - "why did you have to sit on the step? Are you ready to say sorry?" she will say "don't poke baby" and then cuddles and says sorry to me and the baby.

Don't call it the naughty step - ours is called 'time-out'. Does sound a bit American, but I think 'naughty' just sounds so negative.

If your girl is under 2.5 she may be having trouble understanding exactly what she has done wrong, so this might not work until she's closer to 3.

Thank you. I don't really like the naughty step name either. I think I would also have to return her a lot that was the main thing I didn't understand how to get dc to stay on the step.

It isn't a very regular thing well every few days it will seem that she will go through an hour or so of just continuing to do certain things and whatver I try to do to stop her or distract then she carries on hence me thinking a time out may be appropriate. I think she understands that she isn't supposed to poke eyes and other things and uses it to get attention this evening eg I had popped into the kitchen to check on dinner for a moment. She also thinks that me removing het from the situation is like a catch game as she finds it funny whem I do move her.

My ds has just turned 2 and too young to understand the concept of time out right now BUT we do have a beanbag where he is place if he is whining or crying in frustration. He now knows he can leave the bean bag when he has calmed down. Tends to stop his tantrums immediately.

I think it's all about perseverance. Keep going and going, and eventually she won't find it funny any more (we hope). Make sure you pay no attention to her when she is on the step(except if she gets up) so that she knows that doing it will not get her attention.

I really recommend 123 magic by Thomas Phelan. I read about it when searching threads on discipline for toddlers. It is in my mind a gentler version of time out. It worked within days with my 2.5 yr old. It is very simple, lots of info online. Although I have just bought the book which is worth a read.